“It is a myth that palliative care is only appropriate at the end of life,” says Dr. Dabagh. “Palliative care can begin at the time of diagnosis or at any point along the progression of a tough illness. For some kids, we are able to follow them throughout childhood and even help them transition their care into adulthood.”

While the Miller Children’s & Women’s Palliative Care Program is one of the longest standing programs of its kind in the area, Dr. Dabagh is the first dedicated physician leading the program.

“I’m looking to continue the growth of the incredible work that has already been established," says Dr. Dabagh. “We want to be an available resource to all of our care teams throughout the hospital, and to children and families at every stage of life, including patients before they are even born.”

The Perinatal Special Care Unit (PSCU) at the Cherese Mari Laulhere BirthCare Center cares for more than 3,000 women with high-risk pregnancies each year. When parents learn devastating news that a baby may have a life-threatening birth defect, preparing for the loss of a child and coping with the grief is difficult. Miller Children’s & Women’s offers supportive services through the Palliative Care Program, in partnership with our Perinatal Connections Program, that helps families plan for and cope with the remainder of a pregnancy and time around the delivery, focusing on family support and healing.

“With the appointment of Dr. Dabagh we look forward to furthering the reach and impact of our Palliative Care Program,” says Graham Tse, M.D., chief medical officer, Miller Children’s & Women’s. “We understand the value of palliative care for our patients. Dr. Dabagh and her team help patients and their families understand the nature of illness. They also provide relief for the suffering that patients and their families may face regardless of their diagnosis or prognosis.”

While the palliative care team is not a pain management team, they do provide services, therapies and medications for pain and symptom management that will help reduce suffering. Palliative care support focuses on helping to meet physical, social, emotional, spiritual and developmental needs. Addressing these needs for both patients and families allows for the best possible quality of life.

The Palliative Care Program and Perinatal Connections Program are led by clinical program director,
sMeg Goris, APRN, MSN(R), FNP-BC, ACHPN, and is comprised of a multi-disciplinary care team, including nurse practitioners, registered nurses, child life specialists, spiritual care specialists and psychologists who specialize in maternal-baby bonding. The care team is available to families and patients within the hospital, as well as perinatally. The care team aims to grow their resources to families and patients in the outpatient setting.

“I’m thankful to be one part of this very valuable and hardworking team,” says Dr. Dabagh. “A parent once best described our care as, ‘palliative care helps to add life to years, whereas the rest of medicine adds years to life’. I hope to continue that tradition.”

About MemorialCare Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital Long Beach:
MemorialCare Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital Long Beach provides specialized pediatric care for children and young adults — as well as maternity care for expectant mothers —under one roof. Only five percent of all hospitals are children’s hospitals, making them unique not only to children’s health care needs in the community, but across the region. Miller Children’s & Women’s is one of only eight free-standing children’s hospitals in California — treating more than 14,000 children each year — and has become a regional pediatric destination for more than 62,000 visits by children, who need specialized care in the outpatient specialty and satellite centers. For more information, visit millerchildrens.org.